Filch's detention was surprisingly easy—almost insultingly so. He didn't talk much, just grunted and gestured at Calliope and two third-years standing beside her. He pointed at a bucket at his feet, filled with a soapy, green mixture that bubbled and hissed, emitting a faint gas from its brim. With a crooked smile, he jabbed a finger at the small brushes by the bucket, and then at the grimy wall beside them.
"Clean. Now," he barked, stroking Mrs. Norris, who purred contentedly under his hand.
Without another word, Calliope and the two younger students picked up their brushes and started scrubbing.
Thankfully, the awful-looking green substance did not have an odor.
Calliope found an unexpected calmness in the steady rhythm of cleaning; it was a welcome break to have an hour without any distractions. But the thoughts still hovered in her mind, refusing to fully fade away. Remus, Sirius, James, and now Gideon—her mind kept circling back to them.
As the minutes stretched on, Calliope focused on scrubbing a particularly stubborn stain, hoping it might distract her. She could hear the faint whispers of the third-years beside her, but their words felt distant, muffled by her own thoughts.
Calliope's head started to wander to Regulus. Between everything that had happened today, she had somehow almost forgotten about him. But thinking of Regulus brought up a new tangle of questions—and with it, the whole mess with Sirius came rushing back to the forefront of her mind.
She groaned softly, frustration bubbling up as she scrubbed the dirt on the wall harder, determined to make it come off whether it wanted to or not. The bristles scraped against the stone, her thoughts running just as ragged.
Soon enough, her detention was over, and Filch dismissed them with a grunt and a shooing motion. Calliope dropped the brush into the bucket with a splash, her fingers sore and her arms aching from the effort. The third-years hurried off without a word, clearly eager to escape.
Calliope lingered for a moment, taking a deep breath and wiping her hands on her robes– which she vowed to clean tomorrow.
The hallway felt cooler than before, and the quiet seemed almost heavy after the constant scrubbing. She started to make her way back, her footsteps echoing softly against the stone floor.
She made her way to the Ravenclaw tower quickly, her feet moving with purpose as she stormed up to her dorm. She passed by couples sitting close by the fire, late-night wizard chess matches in full swing, and a few dedicated students with notebooks and textbooks spread out across tables and armchairs. Calliope barely noticed any of it, her mind too full of everything that had happened to pay much attention to the cozy scene around her.
All she wanted to do was throw herself onto her mattress and sink into it– and who could blame her?
As Calliope trudged up the stairs and barged into her shared room, she was met with a sudden, high-pitched screech. She froze mid-step, startled, her hand still on the doorknob.
"Oh my god!" Cal exclaimed, her eyes widening as she took in the scene before her. Cassandra was entangled on top of the new Brazilian exchange student, Emiliano, who looked stunned. Luckily for Calliope, they both had their robes on.
"Calli!" Cassandra added with an exasperated screech as she scrambled to get off Emiliano.
"I'm so sorry!" Calliope said, closing her eyes and pressing both hands against them, looking down at the floor as if it might offer her some refuge.
"Why are you closing your eyes?" Cassandra sighed, her embarrassment mingling with exasperation. "We're both clothed, you know."
"Yes, I know! Just giving you and your... friend some privacy. Please, should I leave?" Calliope asked, her voice muffled by her hands.
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My Marauders // J.P. , R.L. , S.B x OC
FanfictionCalliope Thorne was considered an honorary member of the Marauders during her seven years at Hogwarts. She shared a close bond with the group, but it was Remus Lupin, James Potter, and Sirius Black who particularly caught her attention. With her hea...
